Motor-vehicle.



PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907.

J. FORREST. MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLIOATION I ILED we. 23. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

Wilkins PATENTED AUG; 27, 1907.

No. 864,364, J. FORREST.

MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1906.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' mum v Wit" eases ali-all"goitoin itimyllcbneefnq f Be it'jknown that Ja ims Fona rsr, UnitedStates, residing at Spokane, in the county of UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FORREST, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

,mo'roa-vnmem. i I

v No. v864,3 4.

was. of s i. Spoka1ie[and State' of Washington, have invented certain new and use ul Improvements in Motor-Vehicle Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following, to

'afiu ll; clear, and exact description'of the invention,

' I such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it I 'appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to' .the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This inventionrelates to new'and useful improve ments in running gear'forwehicles and especially for motor cars, and the object'in view is to produce means whereby theweight coming upon the truck may be' raised from the axles of the'v'ehicle-when extra power is being applied in the act'oi propelling the apparatus up gradcs,'and comprises'various details of construc.'

tion and combinations and arrangements of parts which willbe hereinafter fully described and then-specifically defined inthe appended claims.

Lillustrate my invention in the accompanying draw-' Figure 1. is a top plan'view of my invention. Fig. 7 '2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3'is a central longitudinal section vertically through the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a;

nated by letter A of similar construction, each wheel 1 I being formed preferably of. metal and hollow, withan opening A upon its inner face, as shown clearly in-Fig.

3 of the drawings. The bearing end oi eachaxle is mounted in a suitable box A. shown initheseetional view, Fig. l of the drawings. Mounted. within each hollow wheel is an annular rack gear B which teeth' are engaged by' the teeth of the gear wheels 0; whereby a rotary movement may beirnparted from the latter to said driven wheels, and thence to the shafts C and C 1 v D upon wliRYh the body of the vehicle is adapted to rest,

The ilfllllQWOl'kOf the running gear comprises a rack and a front liolster frameD/ and the rear bolster frame D The former nits-aid bolster frames supports the for- "ward end oi said rack, suitable springs being interposed r between the smne, and projecting from thevbottom of said frame D are the plates Dflshown in Figs. 3 and 4.;

of thedrawings, which have elongated slots therein for the reception of the forward axle A. Rising from the tholtwo Q and-C to which the gear wheels C Jpper edge of said new. are'the lugs aflbetween which gpe ciificationof Letters Patent. Applicatioafiled August 23,1306. Sorialllo. 331.812.

Fixed to the shaft Cisa sprocket the detailsof the draw- Patented mg. 27, 1907.

the parallel portions of the frame are heldifthereby preventing the same from moving toward or away from either of the front driven wheels.

It will be ,noted that'a slight space intervenes be tween the, opposite edges of the axle A, and the, ends oirthe slot in said plate D thereby allowing'the front bolster frame a slight vertical moyeriient independent of the axle K. i The rear bolster frame D? is also provided with plates D which are similar in construction to the plates D before described, each of said plates D being provided with an elongated vertically disposed slot to receive the rear axle ,A, a sufficient space intervening between the upper and loweredge of the axle bolster frame to have a vertical movement independent of the rear axle. Lugs a project from the upper edge of the rear axle and between which the opposite'parallel portions of the rear bolster frame are g'uided' and held from lateralmovem'entupon-the axle.

clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and about said sprocket wheel';C a :sprocket chain ()travls and also about a second sprocketwheel C 'whi'ch is fixed to the shaft 0 which is 'journaled in suitable bearings upon thebolsterfmr'neD. l 'A'motor, designated in dotted lines by letter E, is

adapted to bemounted upon the forward bolster'irame and is provided with gear connections with the shaft C, whereby power may be applied for driving the vehicle. Mounted in suitable bearings which are supported upon a central bar forming a part of the frame of wheel 0 shown i which passes throughsaid plates A to allow the rear the front bolster is a shaft F having a bevel gear F at its forward end which is in rnesh with a bevel gear F fixed to said shaft C, and the rear end of' the shaft F is connected by auniversal knuckle jointFwith the forward end of the rod or shaft F The rear end of the shaft F is also connected-to a shaft F! by a universal knuckle joint F, which is similar in construction to the knuckle joint F, .before referred to; The shaft F is mounted in-isuitable' bearings 1 carried by the rear bolster frame, and isprovided-with a bevel gear F -which is in meshwith a bevelgear F mounted upon a shaft F journaled in the bracket arms F? carried: by

sprocket wheel F and also about a sprocket wheel G the rear bolster frame. A sprocket wheel Ff is fixed to the shaft F and a sprocket chain G passes about thewhich is fixed to the shaft 0?, shown clearly in Fig. of v -the'drawings.

By the foregoing geared mechanism, it will be noted that power may be. communicated to the four. wheels having the annular' gear rings mounted therein, the teeth of whic'h are engagedby the said gear wheels 0. g Itwill benoted upon reference to the drawings that and G are fixed are mounted one in advance of'each ,axle, and slightly above the lower axle.-

marginal edge of each The'two bolster frames referred to are connected together by pieans of the rectangular-outlined racks H, and H, therear'end of said rack H being swivelly connected to the rear bolster by means of the screws H which are fastened to the bowed cross-piecesH' forming a part of the rear bolster. The forward end of the has two oppositely disposed elongated slots H which 15. p is pivotally-mounted upon the pins H,,it will be noted cured to the rear bolster frame, said chain being shown. clearly in Fig. -1 of the drawings. A. sprocket wheel is fixed to the shaft L, and a sprocket chain L passes rack H is provided with an integral plate H, a detail view of which is shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings-and are curved and through which the bolts h carried by the rack H are adapted to pass. By'this connection between-the twp racks, the forward one of which racks that they have a tilting movement independent-of the rack H and vice versa, whereby when one or the other i of the front wheelsof the vehicle strikes an obstruction,-

the forward bolster may be allowed to tilt up independent-.of-the rear one,.'and in the event of either of the rearwheels passing over an obstruction, the rack H will tilt independent of the forward or front bolster.

Mounted to have a slight longitudinal movement upon the shaft F is a tubular shell I having the twochain K 'passes about the sprocket wheel K and also a sprocket wheel K fixed to a worm shaft K which is I also mounted insuitablebearings upon the rack H. c Mounted in the bracket arms J and J 's hown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, which bracket arms are fastened to' 'the rack H, are the'vertically disposed rotatable shafts L and L, and to the shaft L is fixed a sprocket wheel M about which a chain M passes, the rear ends of which are fastened to the eye-bolts M seabout said wheel L and its ends are fastened to the eye-bolts L which are fastened to theforward bolster frame. A gear wheel 0 isfixed to the shaft L, and a gear wheel 0 is fixed to the shait L, and. the. two

wheels 0 and Ointermes'h; thelatt'eribeing' geared to the worm'shaft K;

Referring-to Figs.' 1 and 7 of the drawings, will seen an angle lever N pivotally mounted upon the pin N" which is carried, by the bracket 'arm upon the rack H, and an arm N projecting frorn one end of said lever has its end forked and engages an annular groove in the shell I, as shown clearly inFigs, 3 and 7, and affords means whereby'one or the other of said, friction cones I or P niay be thrown into engagement with the cone- I accordingly as it may be desired to cause the frontand the rear bolster direction. c p l c Fixed to a stub shaft Q mounted in suitable bearings upon the rack H is a finger Q, the forward end of which is slotted, as at.Q to receive one end-pf the lever. N,

toturn equal distances in either and Q is a link which is pivotally connected at its. forked end to said finger Q, while its other end is pivotally connected at Q to the lever Q which is mountv ed upon a stationary pivot Q, and to the lever Q is pivotally connected a second operating lever Q which may extend up to any convenient location; whereby theoperatorof the machine may conveniently grasp the same to throw either one or the other of the friction cones I or I into contact with the cone 1.

Fixed to the forward end of the front bolster frame are the bracket arms W supporting the stub shaft W upon whiclr the drum or reel W is journaled, and W is a gear wheel rotating with the reel, and Y designates a gearwheel which is splined to the shaft. 0 and is adapted to be shifted upon said shaft by means 'of the lever Y, the forward forked end of which en-.

gages a groove in the shell which moves with the wheel Y, whereby the two-wheels Y and W maybe thrown into or out of gear. The reel W is provided for the ,purpose 15f shifting the power from the shaft F to cause thereel to rotate in one direction and about which a rope or cable may be wound, the otherend of whichis designed to be attached toa secure anchorage at ,the upper endof a hill or elevation, whereby means may be provided for pulling the vehicle-in the event of the same not being able to propel the mechanism under ordinary circumstances.

In order to'hold the gear wheels C constantly Yme'sh with the gear teeth upon'the driven wheels A",

I provide'the springs Z,' shown clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, which are mounted. upon the screws Z held in lugs projecting from the bolsters of the vehicle. Said springs are adapted to yield as the frame rises from the axle, and will have'a tende'ncyto take with which thejgmesh, and in the event of any foreign matter getting between said wheels-and teeth, the teeth will be allowed to ride over the'obstruction and be drawn back into mesh .by the springs.

.up any wear intermediate the wheels C and gear teeth' The operation of my invention will be readily i nderstood and is as follows. When' the power is applied to the gear mechanism from the motor and the vehicle comes to a steep grade or when there is a resistance to the'forward movement of the machine, the gears C turning upon. the gear teeth within the driven wheels will have a tendencyto raise the entire weight of the vehicle off the axles, thereby changing the center of gravity froma-"location directly under the center of the wheels, to positions in advance of the axies,.thereby causing the power to beapplied' to the driven whe'els in advance and above the pbiiits of contact between the driven wheels and the roadway. When {the racks with the load of the vehicle rise to i their limit, which is determined by the lower marg-inal edgesjoi the apertured plates D and D coming in contact with the-bottoms 0f the axles, which would be the case when the resistance Ito the onward movement. of the vehicle exceeded the weight carried by. the ,rack, the leverage incident to the pulling up of the marginal edges of saidplates D? and, D5 against the lower edges pfthe axles, i and the pulling down force of the gear whee ls .O againstthe teethof the drivsn fwheels .A it'ouldfcause increased "leverage. upon the driven, wheels, and by the application of power, the vehicle would -'be readily driven forward up the grade and over the sandy roads or whatever obstructions would cause the increased resistance;

In the event of one or the other of the front or rear .wheels coming into contact with an obstruction, Jone wheel or the other 'of the front or rear pair would ride over the obstruction, without disturbing the wheels .of the other pair, andby, reason'of the worm shaft 7 being in engagement with the-gear wheel it will read'ily' be seen that there will beno side sway to either sets oi wheels. By the gear and chain connections', litwill also be noted 'that when the forward wheels are turned in one direction or the, other to change the course of the vehicle, the rear wheels will be caused to turn the same degree in order thatthey willifollow the'tracks of the io rward'wheels. i

' for: limiting t and in inesh'zwitlg the teeth ;,the frame from moving lg.

Froirl'the foregoing it will be noted that by. theprovision of the apparatus shown an described, 'a simple and efficient apparatus is afi the weight of the vehicle is thrown automatically off the axles and the center of gravityis shifted from the centers of the driven wheels to points in advance of the centers and adjacent to the 'marg inal'edges of the driven wheels in j'front of the .two axles, where the pulling iorce is [exerted in advance, of the contact points between the'driven wheels and the track or What I claim is a .1 .'In comhinatio n with the axles of a vehicle, driven wheelsjournaled thereon, gear teeth upon said wh'eels,"a 'vehicleframe having elongated slots in plates forming a part of said frame and through which slots said axles are 'adaptedto'pas's, the frame being designed to have a slight verticalmovement' independent of the axles, means for.

limiting the upward movement of the frame, shafts carried by the frame, andgear wheels fixed to said shafts and'in. mesh with thejeeth' ofsaid driven wheels, as set forth.

2. In combination with the axles of a vehicle, driven wheels journaled thereon, gear' teeth upon 'said wheels,

a vehicle frame 'having elongated slots in plates forming a, part ofv said frame and'th rough which slots said axles are a adapted i slight vr theqframeibeing designed to have a ement -lndependent of the axles, means upward movement of theframe, shafts I'frame, geariiwh is fixed to said shafts carried by;

guide means Earried byi axles ,and adapted to prevent 'll,'y as it rises and lowers, as

set i forth. 3

.- 3. In combination 'with ;the" ax1es of ii'vemeie, driven wheels jouriialed thereonQgeanteeth upon said wheel's, a

vehicle frame having elongated slots in plates forming a part of said frame and throughwhlch slots sai axles are adaptedto pass, the frame being designed to have a slight vertical ;movemenii independent of theaxlespmeans foi' limiting the upward movement of the frame; shafts en adaptedfto receive said axlesjand to have ya play 'inde ried by the frame, gear wheels fixed to saidshafts and in 5 mesh with the teeth r said driven wneei f-an lugsi rojecting from the axles and between which" the sides of the frameare adapted to be guided, as set forth.-

'4. In combination with the' axles of a vehicle, driven wheels jou'rnaled thereon, gear t eethuphn eac hflof said wheels, front and rear, bolster frameshconnections.between 'the same, slottedplate's fixed to each-holsterframe and pendent of'theaxl's, a drivensha'ft 'journaied in flllltfllll g bearings uponeach bolster frame, and gear wh eels 'fi'xedto said shaft and adapted to mesh with the gear teeth upon said driven wheels, as set forth.

5. In combination with the axles of a vehicle, driven "wheels journaled thereon, gear teethupon each of said wheels, front and rear bolster frames, connections between the same, slotted -.platcs:fixed to each bolster fram'eland adapted to receive said nxlesand to have a'play' independent of the axles, a driven shaft. jonrnl ldjin suitable ed whereby d driven wheels, and

bearings upon each holster frame, gear wheels fixed to said shaft and adapted ,to' mesh with the gear teeth upon said driven wheels, and means for causing the front and rear bolster frames to swlng'laterully the same distances, as' -set forth; 1

6. In combination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus,

driven wheels, journaled thereoma front and a rear bolster frame, slotted plates fixed to said frames and adapted to receive said axles, series of gear teeth upon said driven wheels, shafts journaled in said frames, gear wheels fixed to said shafts and meshing with said' gear teeth, a rack connecting said bolster frames, and means for causing ,the

bolster frames to swing together in opposite directions, as set forth.

, 7. Ln coml ination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus, driven wheels Journaledthereon, a front and a rear bolster frame, slotted plates fixedto said frames and adapted to receive said axles,- series of gear teeth upon said driven wheels, shafts journaled in said frames, gear wheels fixed 1 I I to said shafts and meshing with said gear teeth, smack connecting said bolster frames, sprocket wheels mounted i-eceive said axles series of gear teeth upon said driven wheels, shifts journaledin said frames, gear wheels fixed to said shafts and meshing with said gear teeth, a rack connecting said bolster frames, sprocket wheels mounted upon, said rack, sprocket chains passing about said sprocket wheels, the ends of one chain being fixed to the forward'bolster frame, and the ends of the other chain fastened to therear bolster-frame, shafts to which said sprocket wheels are. fixed, gear wheels fixed -to the sprocket wheel carrying shafts and in mesh with each other, a worm shaft meshingwith one of said intermeshing gear whels, andlmeans for driving said worm shaft in one direction or',the other, as setflforth.

9. In combination with the axles of ii vehicle apparatus,-

driven wheels journaled thereon, a frontand'a rear bolster frame, slotted plates fixed to said frames and'adap'ted to receive s'iiid axles, series of gear teeth upon'said driven wheels, shafts journaled in said frames, gear wheels fixed to said shafts ,and meshing withisaldgear teeth, a rack connecting said bolster frames, sprocket wheels mounted upon saidrack, sprocket chains passing about said sprocket wheels, the'ends of onechain being flxed to the forward bolster frame, and the ends of the other chain fastened to the rear bolster frame,'shafts to which said sprocket wheels arefixed, gear wheels fixed to the sprocket wheel carrying shaftsand' in mesh with'each other, a

worm shaftineshing with one of said inter-meshing gear wheels, a friction cone, gear connections between the same and said worm shaft, a double friction cone carried "by saidrack, and means for'throwingthe same so that oneor 'the other of the double friction codes will contact with said friction cone which is geared to said worm shaft, as

set forth.

10. In combination with the axles of avehicle apparm tus,- driven,-wheels journaled the'reon,-a front'and a rear bolster frame slotted plates fixed, to said frames and -adapted to receive said axles, 'series' of gear teeth "upon said driven wheels, shaft s' iournaled'insaid frames, gear whelsnxed to' said shafts and meshing-with said gear ,teeth, a rack connecting .said bolster frames, sprocket wheels mounted uponsaid rack, sprocket chains passing, about said spr'ocket whe'els, the ends of one chain being .flxed'tothe forward bolster frame, and the ends of the other chain fastenedto the rear bolster frame, shafts to which said sprocket wheels are fixed, gear wheels fixed to the'sprocket'wheelcarrying shafts and'in mesh with each other, a worm shaft ;rneshing-.with.one of said intermeshing gear wheels, a driven "shaft, a shell mounted thereon', aQdouble friction cone-fixedtoysaidgsliell rand,

level mechanism for shifting said shell upon its shaft, whereby one or the other of said cones will frictionally contact with the cone which is'geared to said worm shaft, as set forth.

11. In combination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus, drivenwheels journaled thereon, a front and area:- bolster frame-slotted plates fixed to said frames and adapted toreceive said axles, series of gear 'teeth upon said driven wheels, shafts journaled in said frames, gear wheels fixed to saidshafts and meshing with said gear .-teeth, a rack connecting said holster frames, sprocket wheels. mounted upon said rack, sprocket chains passing about said sprocket wheels, the. ends of one chain being fixed to the forward bolster frame, and the ends of .the

other chain fastened to the rear bolster frame, shafts to which said sprocket-wheels are fixed, gear wheels fixed to the sprocket \vheelcarrying shafts and in mesh with each other, a worm shaft meshing with one of said intermeshing gear wheels, a driven shaft, a shell mounted thereon. a double friction cone fixed to said shell, a pivotal angle lever adapted to engage an annular groove in said shell. a rock shaft, :1 finger fixed to said rock shaft and having a forked end adapted to engage said lever, and link and lever connections with said finger for tilting the angle lever, whereby said double drum may be shifted, as

set forth.

12. In combination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus, driven wheels journaled thereon, a front and a rear I bolster frame, slotted plates fixed to said frames and adapted to receive said axles, series of gear teeth upon said driven wheels, shafts Journaled in said frames, gear wheels fixed to said shafts and meshing with said gear teeth, two racks, one pivoted to each of said bolster frames and having swiveled connections with each other,.

- whereby one bolster frame or theother may be tilted independent of the 0ther, as set forth.

13. in combination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus, driven-wheels journaled thereon,-a front and a rear bolster frame, slotted plates fixed 'to said frames and adapted to receive said axles, series of gear teeth upon said driven wheels, shafts journaied in said frames, gear.

one ofsaid disks having grooved slots therein, and pins caried by the otherdisk and engaging said slots, as set forth. A 5 v 14. In combination with the axles of a vehicle apparatus, driven wheels journaled thereon, series of gear teeth,

mounted upon each wheel, bolster frames mounted, .one

upon each axle, and adapted to have play independent of the axles, shafts carried, one by each bolster frame, gear connections between said shaftsand gear teeth of the driven wheel's, racks pivotally connecting said bolster frames, a rotatable shaft mounted-in suitable hearings on one of saidracks, shafts having knuckle jointed connections with said rack carrying shaft, and sprocket chain and wheel connections between .said shafts whichare carried by the bolster 'frames and the shafts carrying said gear wheels which are in mesh with the teeth of said driven wheels, as set forth. 7

'15. in combination with the vehicle axles, hollow wheels journaled upon said axles, series of gear teeth mounted within'each wheel, front and rear bolster frames supported one by each axle and'adapted to have a playindependent thereof, a shaft journaled in suitable bearings in each bolster frame, gear wheels fixed to said shafts and mounted to rotate each within a driven' wheel and in mesh with the teeth therein, racks connecting said'holster frames, driving shafts, and gear connections between the same and said shafts carrying gear wheels within the driven wheels, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- p JAMES FORREST. Witnesses:

A. L. HOUGH,

N. A. Manmw. 

